Importance of Tourism in Paris, France?

Question

Can someone tell me how important tourism is to Paris?

Answer 1

Quite, Paris being the most visited city in the world (and France the most visited country):

- 44 million visitors a year (55 % of whom are foreigners) for the Paris region, 27 million for downtown Paris alone (79 million foreign visitors for all of France).

- 8 billion euro revenue from tourism + 30 million euros from tax revenue.

- 147,000 jobs (12.8% of Parisian employees) linked to tourism  + nearly as many indirectly. This makes the touristic sector the first employer in the city.

- The Paris region accounts for 15.1% of the national revenue from tourism.

However the Paris region's GDP being one of the highest in the world, tourism, although an important part, is not the most important part of its revenue. Paris and its region have a very diverse economy so it does not rely solely on tourism.

EDIT: @ Craig B. I am bewildered by your answer as "boring" is the last word I would associate with Paris. If you are not into museums and monuments why did you spend your week in Paris visiting them when the city has so much more to offer that may have better suited your tastes? The city has such a vibrant feel to it, so much happening any time of the day or night, anywhere you walk in the central arrondissements. Paris is not Florence or Vienna, in other words, not JUST a beautiful 'outdoor museum city' with fine architecture wherever you go, it is also a LIVELY, FUN place to be for people of any age (I am 27 and I already loved it when I went as a teen). It seems like you missed 80% of what gives Paris its exciting atmosphere. It's a bit as if you went to Mauritius and didn't notice there was a beach.

Answer 2

Tourism is accountable for 6% of the country's income (4% from French tourists travelling inside France and 2% from foreign tourists)

1.5 million Americans visited Paris in 2007 and were among the 8.76 million visitors to the city.

NB: Some of these visitors are such half wits, philistines, and crass, ignorant proles that they actually find the masterpieces of human civilization in museums, its glorious architecture  and the rich history of Paris to be "boring."  An example can be found in one "answer" in this thread.

One could hope that such tiny minds would simply absent themselves from discussions about Paris  but their personal sense of outrage, no doubt fueled by their personal sense of inferiority seems to call them back over and over to repeat their witless nonsense.

Answer 3

Craig - for people like you Paris proposes a deportation toward east fields - : this has a name : Disneyland -

And you can go there why not with a limousine - since even limousines are available for nearly nothing in Paris .

Next time think about it - ( I wrote " think" - don't feel offended and please do not report me for cuss words )

Answer 4

I cant see how it gets so many tourists its such a boring place!!

For me personally i will never return, i get 4 weeks holiday a year and ive wasted 1 week this year going to Paris. I thought it would be different as it's Paris etc. but looking at art, architecture, a big chunk of 'un-romantic' metal, and a bunch of boring *** museums.......... what else is there?!?! ive been to many places and other cities that have much more to offer than what Paris does, so i really would not recommend you go here unless you are like over 50 years old and plan on having a boring *** time.